Azahara Muñoz, one of the great references of Spanish women’s golf, will grace with her presence the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, competition framed within the European Women’s Tour to be held between November 28 and December 1 at Aloha Golf (Marbella) with the main sponsorship of the Ministry of Tourism of the Junta de Andalucía, Turismo Costa del Sol and Acosol – Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol.
The golfer from Malaga, considered on her own merits as one of the best players in the world – currently ranked 42nd in the World Ranking – is a priority focus of attention for two reasons: her status as a local player – she was trained as a golfer at the nearby RCG Guadalmina School – and as the first Spanish player in history not only to win the Women’s Spanish Open, a goal achieved in 2016 with a simply exceptional performance, but also to repeat her triumph in 2017 with another superb display of play.
“I am very excited to return to play the Open de España, as it is a very special tournament for me for many reasons. Playing at home always motivates me because I know that I will be surrounded by my people and my family and that is something that encourages me to try to do my best,” says the golfer from Malaga.
“In addition, it is a competition where the results achieved are usually good. I have already won the Open de España Femenino twice and that is an additional incentive for me. It is the last tournament of the season and I am very excited to finish the year at home,” said Azahara Muñoz.
A member of the winning European team in the recent Solheim Cup, a tournament she has won on three occasions (2011, 2013 and 2019), Azahara Muñoz comes with the challenge of adding to her record her third victory in a Women’s Spanish Open, a feat never conquered by any golfer in the history of this important tournament.
This season, the Spanish player has accumulated five Top 10s in the American and European Tours, with special mention for her second place in the Kia Classic and her third place in the LPGA Women’s World Championship.
Historical references for Spanish golf
Azahara Muñoz became part of the history of Spanish golf in 2016 when she won the title of the Women’s Spanish Open, a feat hitherto elusive for a player of our country thanks to a heroic performance in which she overcame the American Beth Allen in a final day to remember.
The golfer from Malaga, tremendously excited after the achievement of the feat, with hundreds of feelings to the surface related to her family, effort and tenacity, already inscribed her name in the history of Spanish golf by becoming the first woman to hit the ball in an Olympic Games, specifically in Rio de Janeiro 2016, a historic milestone that underpinned just a month later with a triumph as long awaited as desired for many, many years.
As if that were not enough, Azahara Muñoz was able to reedit the victory in the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España a year later, in 2017, in this case through another fabulous performance from the first day, a start, a development and a spectacular denouement that allowed Azahara Muñoz to follow in the wake of legendary players like Laura Davies, also with two titles to her credit (1986 and 2010), and Marie Laure de Lorenzi (1988 and 1994), who did it however in alternate editions, overcoming on this occasion the enormous competition of the duo of Carlota Ciganda and English Georgia Hall.
An impressive sports career
Azahara Muñoz, who built an impressive amateur record in her day, which includes titles in the Spanish Championships Alevín, Infantil, U-18, Junior and Absolute, as well as international triumphs in the British Girls, British Ladies Amateur or the Final of the University League in the United States -as well as gold medals with the Spanish team in European Championships in various categories or the Mediterranean Games-, entered professionalism in June 2009 to weave since then an equally spectacular trajectory.
Not surprisingly, in her first tournament on the Ladies European Tour, the Madrid Ladies Masters 2009, she won brilliantly after maintaining an exciting battle with another of the great realities of today’s women’s golf, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist.
The achievement of the American Tour card a few months later allowed Azahara Muñoz to combine since then both competitions with evident success, accumulating year after year excellent results, with special mention for her decisive contribution in the triumphs of the European team in the Solheim Cup 2011, 2013 and 2019, a triple crown in the most important team tournament in the world of which few players can boast at her age, about to turn 32 years old.
As if that were not enough, her sporting resume is adorned with four titles on the European Women’s Tour – the French Open 2013 and 2014 and the Spanish Open 2016 and 2017 – and two titles on the American Tour, one individual – the Sybase Match Play Championship 2012 – and another collective, the one achieved in 2014 as part of the Spanish team that won the International Crown. In addition, the Malaga-born player represented Spain at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Essential support for the holding of the tournament
The support of the Ministry of Tourism of the Junta de Andalucía, Turismo Costa del Sol and Acosol – Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental is part of a sports and tourism promotion effort, aware of the attraction of golf among national and foreign tourists, who find in this sport another incentive when choosing this Spanish region as a destination.
This important competition also has the support of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, Aloha Golf Club, Consejo Superior de Deportes and Ladies European Tour. The organization is in charge of the company Deporte & Business.
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